How To Remove Garage Epoxy from Metal, Concrete and Tile Floor

You are holding your waist wondering how you are going to remove epoxy paint from your floor.

Anyone who uses epoxy paint to coat their floor will tell you how difficult and time-consuming it takes to remove it. Although it is durable, but epoxy is a permanent adhesive that bonds with the floor.

But, there is a way.

Removing epoxy paint is not that tricky or hard as you think. The more you get used to it, the more you find it easier to remove.

I went around asking homeowners on the best method they can use to remove epoxy from their garage. Every homeowner had their views, but most of them agree on these ways.

And this article is a result of that research and forum I went to get you the answers on this topic.

Before I jump to the nitty gritty part of how to remove epoxy from concrete, tile and metals.... You need to know something about epoxy.

The Nature Epoxy Paint

Epoxy paint is in liquid state and it solidifies on either concrete, tile or metal floors. That means there is one way you can remove it.

And that is turning it back to liquid or at least make it gel-like. Then you can scrap it from the surface using a metal. You can do this task with the necessary safety precautions.

Let's begin.

Concrete floor

If you have epoxy on the concrete floor, there are two ways you can remove it.

Mechanical removal involves the use of sandblasting.

Chemical peels

Mechanical removal is expensive, dangerous and messy. Chemicals peel is less cheap and it is the method used by most people.

Things that you need:

Push broom.

MethylEthyl Ketone stripper.

Safety glasses.

Rubber gloves.

Wooden sticks.

Nylon scrubber.

How to Remove Concrete floor Epoxy- Step By Step Directions

1. Decides on the kind of stripper that you will use. The best is MethylEthyl Ketone stripper. They are other alternatives if you don't prefer MEK like GP 200 coating, soy gel paint and the rest.

Most of these explosives are dangerous and you will need to have safety glasses when you have them.

2. Before you start, you need to clear the surface. That means washing the floor and removing anything that is on it outside.

The room needs to be ventilated because most explosives are harmful when inhaled.

3. Read and follow direction of the paint stripper. You will get the coverage and soak duration on the label. Read it careful to add extra hours to your work time.

4. Apply the methylene chloride on the floor and spread it using a push broom. You can divide your floor into two parts. Work on one part, then leave it cool.

This helps you to clean a single part careful without leaving a single epoxy on the concrete floor.

5. Finally, depending the stripper that you are using, give it time to soften. Then you can use a Nylon scrubber to get rid of it. For concrete floors always give the surface more time for ventilation.

Tiles Floor

Removing epoxy from the tiled floor is easy, all you need to do is follow this direction.

Things that you need:

Wooden sticks.

Paintbrush.

Water

Vacuum.

Nylon scrubber

Painter's tape.

Safety glasses.

Rubber gloves.

Stifle-bristled brush

Trisodium phosphate.

Hot water

Sponge

Before you start

You need to test the stripper on another tile to make sure that it won't discolor your or damage your tile.

Removing Tiles Floor Epoxy Guideline.

1. Take a wooden stick and start scrubbing excess or loose epoxy on the tiles. Then you can vacuum it as soon as possible.

2. Use a nylon scrubber and water to scrub thin layers of epoxy material on the tiles. You will soon start seeing elbow grease and moisture coming off.

Thicker areas with high concentration of epoxy will need an epoxy stripper.

3. If you have cabinet, appliances or walls next to the floor, you protect them using a painter's tape. Before you apply epoxy stripper,

you need to make sure that the room you are working has good ventilation.

4. Take epoxy stripper and apply it on your paintbrush. On horizontal surfaces, apply the epoxy stripper and work on it using paint brush.

On vertical surface, dip the paintbrush into the epoxy stripper gentle work on the surface.

5. Leave it 30 minutes break to soften the floor. Check the floor using a wooden stick to see, if it is soft.

Before working with any stripper, read the instruction to see how long it takes to soften. Others will take one hour or two hours.

6. By now, your floor has softened and it is time to remove the epoxy. Take a stiff-bristled brush and start scrubbing the floor.

Never use a wire brush, it is great but it may scratch your floor.

7. Take 2 or 3 tri-sodium phosphate solution and mix it a gallon of hot water. These solution neutralizes the stripper. Then take a paper towel and dry the floor.

8. Final, rinse the floor tiles with clean water and leave it to dry.

That's how you remove epoxy from the floor tiles.

Metal Floor

Things that you need.

Pain stripper that works well with metal surfaces.

Plastic tarp.

2-inch-wide paintbrush.

Protective face mask, rubber gloves.

Paint scrubber.

Directions.

1. Before you start, you need to be familiar with the paint stripper that you are working with. Read the instructions and directions.

2. Test the stripper on another metal surface, to see how it reacts. There are some strippers that damages or leaves scratches on the surfaces.

3. If you have cabinet, doors, walls and any other area that you want to protect, please take a plastic tarp and cover it.

4. Apply the paint stripper on the metal. Using a paint brush, work on the surface making sure that the stripper is everywhere. Leave it for some hours or minutes.

5. Finally, scrap the surface metal scrapper to remove epoxy paint. If you are not satisfied with the surface of the metal, apply additional paint remover on the surface.

You can now clean any surface at your disposal using the above direction. The only thing that will change is the pain stripper.

Tile, concrete and metal surface will need a different paint stripper for them to remove the epoxy paint. You job is to find the best stripper that will not harm your surface.

CorePlanets.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.